Comparison: Price of meat in Iran and neighboring countries

[With a shortage of meat and rise in its price, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani suggested that the meat is smuggled to other countries because it is cheaper in Iran. The footage makes a comparison as to the price of meat in Iraq, Emirates, and Iran, showing the falsehood of Rouhani’s claim.]

Hassan Rouhani: The reason for smuggling [goods from Iran] is low prices not high prices. It means that when your products are cheap, they are smuggled [out of the country]. If your products are expensive, they won’t be smuggled. Why is there a shortage of meat and it is smuggled? Go to Karbala in Iraq to see the price of meat there. That is easy to calculate.

Reporter: OK, let’s compare it with war-stricken Iraq. Among neighbors of Iran, Iraq has the highest price of meat at $11.52. It means that with a minimum wage of $450, each Iraqi can purchase 39kg of meat in his war-stricken country. The other country mentioned by the president was Emirates. The average price of meat in Emirates in $8. It means that with the minimum wage of $2800, each Emirati can buy 350kgs. In return, how much meat can each Iranian buy with his minimum wage? Take a guess! Only 13kg.

–As you see there is a line for getting frozen meat.

Reporter: The minimum salary of a Filipino maid in Emirates is $410. She can buy 51kg of meat. The cost of living and expenses of a maid, of course, is on the employer. But a Filipino maid can purchase meat four times more than an Iranian in his country.

Hassan Rouhani: This problem cannot defeat our nation.

Reporter: Let’s not go over the purchase of meat in developed countries at all, out of respect for conditions of Iranian.